Summary

  1. Wednesday on BBC Verify Livepublished at 17:48 British Summer Time 25 June

    Anthony Reuben
    BBC Verify senior journalist

    That’s almost it for BBC Verify Live but there’s plenty more to come from the team.

    We’ve spent much of the day analysing and assessing satellite images showing damage to three of Iran’s main nuclear sites following Israeli and US air raids.

    We’ve put all the images - and what we’ve learned from them - into one piece which you can read here.

    We’ll also be keeping an eye on the growing rebellion among Labour MPs over UK welfare spending - which we’ve also been looking at here on the live page.

    You can always get in touch with us by filling out our contact form and you can catch up with our videos, investigations and fact-checks here.

  2. Watch: What are the welfare reforms that are making Labour MPs so unhappy?published at 17:12 British Summer Time 25 June

    The UK government’s planned cuts to welfare have provoked significant opposition within the Labour Party - with some 120 of its MPs signing an amendment calling for the proposals to be scrapped.

    Ahead of a key Parliamentary vote due next week, BBC Verify’s policy and analysis correspondent Ben Chu has been looking into the detail of the proposed reforms and the debate about their impact.

    Media caption,

    A look at Labour's proposed welfare reforms

  3. Monitoring social media for Kenya protest news as TV shut downpublished at 16:52 British Summer Time 25 June

    Peter Mwai
    BBC Verify senior journalist

    Statues of wildlife were placed on one of Nairobi's streetsImage source, X/CITIZENTVKENYA
    Image caption,

    Wildlife statues were placed on one of Nairobi's streets

    We’ve been monitoring online sources for coverage of anti-government protests in Kenya which were called for today on the anniversary of protests which ended with the storming of parliament last year.

    Given the government had shut down TV stations, social media has been a primary source of information.

    Today there were calls to storm the statehouse, the official residence of the president. Using two videos posted online, we managed to confirm that protesters got to within less than 1km, external (0.5 miles) of the statehouse building.

    Police had put up barricades using razor wires to block roads leading the the parliament building and statehouse which we confirmed through video posted on social media.

    At the main public park, at least three wildlife statues were moved and placed on the main road adjacent to the park which we also confirmed using verified footage.

  4. Craters at nuclear enrichment site appear to have been covered uppublished at 15:57 British Summer Time 25 June

    Rob Corp
    BBC Verify Live editor

    Let’s go back to looking at the new Maxar satellite images of Iran’s nuclear sites - and what’s happened to them following 12 days of air attacks by the Israeli Air Force as well as strikes by US cruise missiles and bombs dropped from B-2s.

    Our final look over the images focuses on Natanz, Iran’s primary uranium enrichment facility, which was targeted by the US using its “bunker-busting” bombs that can penetrate deep underground.

    Satellite images captured on 22 June in the immediate aftermath of the US strikes reveal two visible craters in a large area at the centre of the complex. The craters are believed to be above underground buildings housing centrifuge halls, where uranium enrichment takes place.

    Annotated graphic showing craters at Natanz

    A new image, taken on 24 June, reveals the two craters visible two days earlier now appear to have been covered which might suggest work is under way to address damage inflicted on the facility.

    “Think of what you do if you have a hole in your roof,” says David Albright from the US-based Institute for Science and International Security, “and also they likely want to at least offer some resistance to another earth penetrator hitting the same spot.”

  5. How much are the government’s welfare reforms expected to save?published at 15:02 British Summer Time 25 June

    Tom Edgington
    BBC Verify senior journalist

    Chart showing Resolution Foundation research into how much the proposed changes to Pip would save the government. In 2029-30 it would mean that spending on working-age health and disability-related benefits would be £67bn instead of £72bn.

    One of today's other stories being looked at by BBC Verify is the government's planned welfare changes.

    There are currently 120 Labour MPs listed as supporting a rebel amendment in the Commons which aims to block the proposals.

    The changes - if they go ahead - would tighten the eligibility criteria for receiving personal independence payments (Pip), a benefit that helps people who have a long-term physical or mental health condition with daily living costs.

    Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer says the current welfare system "traps people" on benefits, and was set to fuel "unsustainable" rises in the cost to taxpayers.

    The Labour Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan, however, says the changes would "destroy" the financial safety net of many disabled and disadvantaged Londoners.

    Analysis carried out by the Resolution Foundation suggests that benefit spending is due to rise regardless.

    Before the government announced its proposed changes, health and disability-related benefit spending was due to rise from £59bn in 2024-25 to £72bn in 2029-30 (adjusted for inflation).

    If the government’s changes come into force, the foundation predicts benefit spending will rise more slowly to £67bn by 2029-30 - a difference of £5bn.

  6. 'Moderate' structural damage at Iranian nuclear site tunnel entrances - analysispublished at 14:28 British Summer Time 25 June

    Lucy Gilder
    BBC Verify journalist

    Our team is still poring over satellite imagery showing damage to Iran’s nuclear sites following air attacks by Israel and the US in the past week.

    We can now bring you images from satellite firm Maxar showing damage to tunnel entrances located north of the Isfahan complex - which we mentioned earlier - following US strikes over the weekend.

    To recap, the Isfahan complex houses a nuclear research centre with a uranium conversion facility.

    Damage can be clearly seen at one tunnel entrance on the northern tip of the facility. You can also see damage at a separate tunnel entrance in the complex.

    Before and after images of tunnel entrances at Isfahan

    Experts from the intelligence analysis firm Maiar told us there had probably been “moderate” structural damage to the entrances.

    They noted the scorching around the entrances but also the relative lack of damage to the adjacent concrete as well as the lack of any visible caving in of the earth above the entrances.

  7. Satellite image shows buildings damaged at Tehran’s Shahid Rajaei Universitypublished at 13:42 British Summer Time 25 June

    Lucy Gilder
    BBC Verify journalist

    Another satellite image shows multiple buildings were hit during the 12-day Israel-Iran conflict at Shahid Rajaei University, located in the north-eastern Lavizan district of the Iranian capital, Tehran.

    The university has been linked to Iran’s nuclear programme.

    We’ve previously verified videos which confirm Lavizan was hit by multiple Israeli air strikes.

    This is a satellite image from 14 June showing how the university looked before the strikes.

    Satellite image showing Shahid Rajaei University in Tehran before it was hit by Israeli strikes.Image source, MAXAR TECHNOLOGIES

    And this is how it looked six days later after Israel’s air campaign.

    Satellite image showing Shahid Rajaei University in Tehran after it was hit by Israeli strikes.Image source, MAXAR TECHNOLOGIES

    The latest Maxar Technologies image reveals extensive damage to multiple large buildings near the university campus with debris scattered around the area.

  8. New craters and damaged buildings at Iran's Fordo sitepublished at 12:59 British Summer Time 25 June

    Lucy Gilder
    BBC Verify journalist

    More satellite images captured on 24 June and published by Maxar Technologies show craters and damaged buildings at the Fordo nuclear site that were not visible in the aftermath of US strikes.

    The Fordo enrichment facility, buried underground in a mountain side near the city of Qom, was struck with US bunker-buster munitions on 22 June, resulting in two groups of three large craters.

    A day after the US strikes, Israel said it had struck Fordo again - targeting access routes to the facility. The attack was later confirmed by Iranian authorities.

    After the Israeli strike, the Maxar image shows a destroyed installation north of the facility. It’s believed the strikes were intended to make these sites difficult to reach and repair.

    Annotated satellite image showing damage and craters at Fordo
  9. New images show damage at Isfahan uranium conversion complexpublished at 11:48 British Summer Time 25 June

    Lucy Gilder
    BBC Verify journalist

    We’re continuing to bring you satellite images showing damage to Iran’s nuclear sites following US and Israeli strikes.

    The Isfahan Nuclear Technology Centre, located south-east of the city of Isfahan, is Iran’s main nuclear research centre. It also houses a uranium conversion facility where natural uranium is converted into material that can be enriched at facilities in Natanz and Fordo.

    The complex was struck at least twice by Israel. It was then targeted by the US on 22 June, resulting in more extensive damage across the complex with multiple scorch marks visible.

    US Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the effects of the US strikes on Iran, apparently referencing the uranium conversion facility at Isfahan: “You can’t do a nuclear weapon without a conversion facility, we can’t even find where it is, where it used to be on the map - because the whole thing is just blackened out… it’s gone… wiped out.”

    The site is still easily visible in the latest Maxar image - but it does show extensive destruction to a large number of buildings around the conversion site.

    Satellite image showing damage to Iranian conversion facility.
  10. Most drivers speed on ‘free-flowing’ 20mph roadspublished at 11:40 British Summer Time 25 June

    Miguel Roca-Terry
    BBC Verify data journalist

    A 20mph speed limit sign

    Turning away from our main story for a moment and we’ve had new figures which show that three-quarters of cars speed in 20mph zones in England when there’s nothing on the road to slow them down.

    Policies to restrict vehicle speeds to 20mph are widespread in England and the rest of the UK,, external and safety campaigners say these limits are associated with reduced road casualties and fatalities.

    The Department for Transport collected the data, external from automated traffic counters - those little strips across the road you sometimes bump over when driving.

    The figures cover “free flowing” zones, which are roads with no speed cameras, sharp bends, junctions or traffic calming measures.

    The figures also show a record number of people getting fixed penalty notices for speeding (2.5 million) and going on speed awareness courses (1.8 million).

    We’ll ask experts to help us interpret the data so that we can give you a full report later.

  11. What are we seeing in the latest Iran satellite imagery?published at 10:48 British Summer Time 25 June

    Rob Corp
    BBC Verify Live editor

    We’ve been looking at satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies that was taken on Tuesday 24 June - the day that Iran and Israel agreed to a US-brokered ceasefire.

    The images show previously unseen damage near tunnel entrances at Iran’s Isfahan Nuclear Technology Centre after it was hit by the US at the weekend. We'll bring you more on those images shortly.

    Damage at a university in TehranImage source, Maxar Technologies
    Image caption,

    Damage can be seen in the centre of this image showing part of a university in Tehran

    Other satellite photos - such as the one above - reveal previously unseen damage at a university in north-eastern Tehran which has been linked to the nuclear programme. We can also see damage at an area adjacent to a major airport west of the capital.

    Satellite images are particularly helpful in analysing the damage caused by the 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel as the BBC is not allowed to operate freely in Iran.

  12. New satellite images released of Iran’s nuclear sitespublished at 09:41 British Summer Time 25 June

    A satellite image showing apparent damage to a tunnel entrance at IsfahanImage source, Maxar Technologies
    Image caption,

    This satellite image of the Isfahan facility taken on 24 June shows damage to the tunnel entrances, according to Maxar

    BBC Verify has received a new set of satellite images overnight showing Iran’s nuclear sites at Isfahan, Fordo and Natanz.

    These were the sites targeted by the US military at the weekend using B-2 bombers and cruise missiles, and have also been targeted by Israeli air strikes. US President Donald Trump has insisted that the American attack left the facilities “completely destroyed”.

    High resolution satellite images released by Maxar Technologies show damage to buildings both under and above ground and their access roads and tunnels.

    Our team has started analysing the images to understand the extent of damage and how the latest strikes affect the use of these sites. We’re also sending them to experts outside the BBC for their take on what the images show.

  13. Welcome to Wednesday's BBC Verify Livepublished at 09:23 British Summer Time 25 June

    Rob Corp
    BBC Verify Live editor

    Good morning from the team in the London newsroom.

    We're currently working through new satellite imagery of Iran’s nuclear sites following the weekend’s US bombings and subsequent Israeli air attacks.

    We’ve sent the pictures to a number of experts to get their analysis of the damage. It’s especially timely given a leaked intelligence report suggested the US operation may have only set Iran’s nuclear programme back by months.

    Elsewhere we’re waiting on new data showing the percentage of cars in England that break the speed limit. Last year's figures showed around four-fifths broke the limit in 20mph zones and nearly half on 30mph roads.

    And we’re across the Nato summit in the Netherlands and the continuing debate about boosting the amount members spend on defence.

    BBC Verify banner